treeman82
Addicted to ArboristSite
I know this is an old topic, but I have to bring it up again.
I started dragging brush for a friend's tree company. Dragging brush for a few years, eventually turned into "go put on a saddle and spurs and set a rope in that tree." Went to vo-tech high school for urban forestry, went on to college for arbor and parks. Climbing skills progressed with time, from some branches over the lawn to large trees over houses. Licensed and certified arborist, fully insured, member ISA / TCIA / CTPA. I pay my taxes, and have a website. Haven't fully paid my dues in the business, but I'm young, I have plenty of time to learn more and to give back at the same time.
So with this in mind it bothers me when I see these schmucks running around who have never climbed a day in their lives, and they have more work than me. They are buying more equipment for themselves, and here I am struggling to keep my guy and myself busy. Of course they are paying their guys cash, they have no insurance, and they put ads in the paper "We will save you money by working for cheap, hire us." They have no skills other than being able to point and BS, maybe turn a key or pull a lever, but otherwise they don't know their trees, pests, knots, and so forth, but they can get the jobs.
I sat down not long ago with some peers and we were talking about enabling the competition, and how it has to stop. We were saying that we can't be helping these guys to do the work. We have to take a stand and say "you can't do the job that's in front of you without our help? Well we're not gonna help you anymore." Of course that's easier said than done when they've got the money.
Sorry, but I had to vent a bit here.
I started dragging brush for a friend's tree company. Dragging brush for a few years, eventually turned into "go put on a saddle and spurs and set a rope in that tree." Went to vo-tech high school for urban forestry, went on to college for arbor and parks. Climbing skills progressed with time, from some branches over the lawn to large trees over houses. Licensed and certified arborist, fully insured, member ISA / TCIA / CTPA. I pay my taxes, and have a website. Haven't fully paid my dues in the business, but I'm young, I have plenty of time to learn more and to give back at the same time.
So with this in mind it bothers me when I see these schmucks running around who have never climbed a day in their lives, and they have more work than me. They are buying more equipment for themselves, and here I am struggling to keep my guy and myself busy. Of course they are paying their guys cash, they have no insurance, and they put ads in the paper "We will save you money by working for cheap, hire us." They have no skills other than being able to point and BS, maybe turn a key or pull a lever, but otherwise they don't know their trees, pests, knots, and so forth, but they can get the jobs.
I sat down not long ago with some peers and we were talking about enabling the competition, and how it has to stop. We were saying that we can't be helping these guys to do the work. We have to take a stand and say "you can't do the job that's in front of you without our help? Well we're not gonna help you anymore." Of course that's easier said than done when they've got the money.
Sorry, but I had to vent a bit here.